These hot chocolate cookies include the best flavors of your favorite hot cocoa—gooey marshmallow, a drizzle of chocolate, and made with your favorite hot chocolate mix. Perfect for holiday cookie exchanges!
When I set out to whip up a batch of hot chocolate cookies a few weeks ago, I didn’t expect it to be so challenging. I tried multiple recipes that I found online, but time and time again, I found that they were either really messy, weren’t cooking properly or consistently, or came out flat – literally!
After lots of fails, I decided to whip up my own winning recipe that incorporates all the best flavors of a warm mug of hot chocolate – made with your favorite hot cocoa mix and topped with a gooey marshmallow and a drizzle of chocolate.
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This isn’t your average chocolate cookie – it really does taste like your favorite hot cocoa! And, I’m happy to report that this recipe turns out great every single time.
I used my delish Grasshopper Sandwich Cookies as my base recipe and substituted some of the sugar for my favorite sweetened hot cocoa mix.
To make the cookies, combine 3/4 Cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl for around 40-60 seconds. Stir every 20 seconds until the mixture is just melted and smooth. Do not overheat or your chocolate will seize!
Next, add the sugar and hot chocolate mix.
It’s important to note here that you can’t use a sugar free mix for this recipe in my experience. And, because hot cocoa mixes vary greatly in flavor and sugar content, I will share that I used Nestle Hot Chocolate mix, which tends to be sweeter than other brands of hot chocolate mixes I’ve tried.
Add a large Nellie’s Free Range Egg and mix until well blended. We prefer using Nellie’s Free Range Eggs in all our baking because they are fresh, flavorful, and free-range!
Stir in the flour and salt until combined.. Then, add the reserved 1/4 Cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and vanilla to the mixture. 
Scoop rounded tablespoons onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, about one inch apart. Bake at 375°F for 8-9 minutes.
While the cookies are baking, slice marshmallows in half using kitchen shears or a pairing knife. I find that the marshmallows are much easier to work with and less messy if I freeze them for about an hour first.
Once the cookies have baked 8-9 minutes, quickly press a marshmallow half (cut side down) onto the center of each cookie. Bake for another 1-2 minutes.
While the cookies cool, melt additional semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds until just melted and smooth.
Pour the melted chocolate into a resealable plastic bag and create a DIY piping bag by cutting just a small corner. 
Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies and sprinkle with crushed candy canes, mini marshmallows, or mini chocolate chips.
What do you think of these hot chocolate cookies? 
If you’re looking for something a little different to share at your next cookie exchange, these will definitely be winners!
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- For the Cookies
- 1 C Semi-sweet chocolate chips, reserve 1/4 C. of the chocolate chips
- 1/4 C Nellie's Free Range Unsalted Butter
- ¼ C. Sugar
- ¼ C. Hot cocoa mix (sugar free mix will not work for this recipe!)
- 1 Large Nellie’s Free Range Egg
- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
- 3/4 C Flour
- ⅛ tsp. Salt
- For the Garnish
- 10-12 Regular sized marshmallows (frozen are easier to work with)
- ¼ C. Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Mini marshmallows or chopped peppermint candies
Instructions
- To make the cookies, combine 3/4 C. of the chocolate chips and butter and microwave for around 40-60 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds until melted and smooth. Add the sugar, hot cocoa mix, and Nellie's Free Range Egg and mix until well blended. Stir in the flour and salt until combined. Then, add the 1/4 C. of reserved chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, 1” apart (will make about 20-24 total). Bake at 375°F for 8-9 minutes.
- While the cookies are baking, slice marshmallows in half using kitchen shears. Freeze marshmallows for about an hour first to make them easier and less messy to work with. When cookies have baked around 8-9 minutes, press a marshmallow half (cut side down) onto the center of each cookie. Bake for another 1-2 minutes.
- While the cookies are cooling, microwave the chocolate chips for around 30-60 seconds, stirring every 20 seconds until melted and smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into a resealable plastic bag, creating a DIY piping bag by cutting just a small corner of the bag. Drizzle chocolate over the tops of your cookies. Sprinkle with chopped candy canes or mini marshmallows to garnish.
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When do I add the vanilla extract and salt?
Thanks for pointing that out! I updated it to show that I add the salt with the flour, and the vanilla at the every end.